Tobiah (1)

1. TOBIAH, Tobias, or Tobit, was Son of Tobiel,¹ and Grandson of Ananiel, of the Tribe of Naphthali. Others make him Son of Ananiel.² His Habitation was in the capital City of the Tribe of Naphthali, which was Kadesh. The Greek Text intimates, that he was of Thisbe, which was to the Right Hand of Kadesh of Naphthali. Tobit married a Woman of his own Tribe, called Anna, and had by her one Son, whom, after his own Name, he called Tobiah, or Tobit.³ Though he lived in the midst of Galilee, and in the Kingdom of the Ten Tribes, where the Worship of the Golden Calves had prevailed for a long time; yet he did not omit to go secretly to the Temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, on the Days of the solemn Feasts, and there to offer faithfully his Tythes and First-fruits. And he continued this pious Practice, from his Youth up, till the time that Shalmaneser took Samaria, and led him away Captive to Nineveh, with his Wife and Son.

When he was in this Country, he abstained from the Food of the Gentiles, and preserved his Soul pure from their Defilements. God gave him Favour before King Shalmaneser, who not only gave him the Liberty to go where he pleased, but also made him his Purveyor.⁴ Going upon a time to Rages in Media, he lent to one Gabriel, a Jew, and his Kinsman, or, according to the Greek,⁵ committed to his Trust, the Sum of ten Talents, which in our Money comes to about three thousand four hundred and twenty-two Pounds Sterling.

After the Death of Shalmaneser, Tobit fell into Disgrace with King Sennacherib, his Successor. He was turned out of his Employment, and fell to great Poverty, having been forced to conceal himself, to avoid the Death he was threatened with; and the King confiscated his whole Estate.

But after the Death of Sennacherib he returned again to his House, and all his Goods were restored to him again. He continued, as before, in the Exercises of Piety. One Day when he went to bury a dead Body that had been left in the Market-place, at his Return he durst not enter into his House because of the Uncleanness he had contracted by touching the dead Body: He therefore went to sleep under the Wall of his Court. But while he slept there fell into his Eyes the warm Dung of a Sparrow or Swallow, whose Nest happened to be just above him. This presently deprived him of the Use of his Sight. This Misfortune, which God permitted him to fall into by way of Tryal, did not throw him into Repining and Impatience, but he still kept his Integrity, notwithstanding the Insults and Reproaches of his Relations, and of his Wife herself, who asked him, where were the Fruits of all the Works of Charity that he had done.

Seeing then that he could be of no further use to the World, and that he was become a Burden to himself and to others, he Tob. ii. 1, 2, 3, &c. Tob. iii. 1, 2, 3, &c.begged of the Lord to take him out of this Life. But God intended to deliver him out of these Troubles after another manner, which was altogether miraculous. Tobit therefore thinking himself near his Death, sent his Son to Gabriel at Rages, to fetch the Money he had lent him, or left in his Care, as we said before. Tobias went thither, married Sara the Daughter of Raguel, and brought the Money to his Father. And by means of the Gall of a Fish which he caught upon the Banks of the Tigris, he restored his Father to his Sight, as will be said under the Article of young Tobiah.

Tobit intending to reward the Angel Raphael, who had conducted his Son to Tob. xii. 1, 2, 3, &c.Ecbatana, and whom he took to be no other than a mere Man, offered him half of what his Son brought out of Media. But the Angel, taking them into a private Place, thus spoke to them: Bless the great God of Heaven, who has thus manifested his Mercy towards you: Prayer joined to Fasting and Alms-giving, is better than all the Riches in the World; since it delivers from Death, blots out Sin, and obtains Mercy and Everlasting Life. I am going therefore to discover the real Truth to you: God has heard your Prayers, has seen your Tears, and observed your good Works. And since you were agreeable to him, he has thought fit to make a Trial of your Virtue. I am the Angel Raphael, whom God has sent to relieve you: But I must now return to him that sent me. As for you, do you continue to praise God, and to declare the Wonders he has done for you.

Then the two Toby’s, Father and Son, prostrated themselves on the Earth, worshipping God for three Hours. Then rising up, they proclaimed all the Benefits that God had done them; upon which Occasion Tobit composed a Canticle of Thanksgiving, in which he extolls the Greatness, the Power, Tob. xiii. 1, 2, 3, &c.and the Goodness, of God. He foretells the restoring of Jerusalem, the End of the Captivity, the Magnificence of the Holy City, of its Temple, and the Multitude of its Inhabitants. After Tobit had recovered his Sight, he lived still two and forty Years, and saw the Sons of his Grandchildren. He was fifty six Years old when he became blind, and recovered his Sight again at sixty. When the Hour of his Death was come, he called his Son Tobias, and seven young Grandchildren, and said to them; The Destruction of Nineveh is near; for the Word of the Lord shall not fall to the Ground, and our Brethren, who are now dispersed out of the Land of Israel, shall return to it. All the Land of Israel that has been forsaken shall be peopled again; the House of God that was burnt shall be rebuilt again, and all those that fear God shall return thither: The Nations shall abandon their Idols, and shall come to Jerusalem; they shall dwell there, and all the Kings of the Earth shall rejoice there, adoring the God of Israel. My Children, serve the Lord in Truth; endeavour to do what is agreeable to him; recommend to your Children to do Works of Righteousness, of Alms; to remember the Lord, and to praise him. As for you, my Children, continue not long here; but, as soon as you have buried your Mother near me, in the same Sepulchre, think of leaving this Place as soon as possible: For I perceive that the Wickedness of this Place shall be its Destruction.

All this happened as Tobit had foretold it; and young Tobias, his Son, faithfully performed all he had commanded him.

So that after Tobit had lived an hundred and two Years, he died in peace, and was honourably buried in the City of Nineveh. He became blind in the Year of the World 3317, sent his Son to Ecbatana in 3322, and recovered his Sight in the same Year. He died at the Age of one hundred and two Years, in the Year of the World 3363, before Christ 637, before the Vulgar Æra 641.

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